Week 2 Wrap Up

Wow.  When my first prediction of rain didn't come true, I should have known it was going to be a bad day.  A win is a win, and Penn State even covered the spread, but this game was downright ugly.  Thankfully, teams like Akron would need a full fledged meltdown by Penn State to get the upset, but I think the coaching staff knows that their work is cut out for them this week as the Nittany Lions prepare to welcome Rutgers to the Big Ten and open up conference play.  Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's rewind and take a look back at how things went down against the Zips.

Let's start with the play calling.  It was very suspect, but I’m going to give Jame Franklin the benefit of the doubt and assume that his offensive staff was just using Akron as a laboratory.  They're still a new staff and they're still trying to figure out exactly what they have on this team, so a little experimentation is to be expected.  However, the running game in particular was all over the place!  Charles Huff's crew showed occasional flashes of brilliance, but they were much too few and far between.  Give them credit for creativity, though.  In one game we got to see Bill Belton attempt a pass and end the day with more receiving yds than rushing yds, Zach Zwinak carry the entire defense on his back to turn a 4 yd gain into 18 yds, Akeel Lynch lead all rushers from the wildcat formation with Hackenberg spread out wide at receiver, and TE Mike Gesicki used as a fullback.  Needless to say, it was weird and rather unproductive.  Now that they got all that out of the way and had their fun, I hope they have a better idea what they need to fix moving forward because right now the running game is a mess.

As I predicted, Hackenberg threw for more than 300 yds (319 to be exact), tying the record with Matt McGloin for most career 300+ yd passing games at 6.  He also had 3 TDs, which was even more than the 2 I expected!  However, he threw 2 interceptions on the goal line, costing Penn State 14 potential points, and he probably should have had upwards of 5 total interceptions on the day.  Hack continued to force throws and was visibly frustrated numerous times on the sideline.  Even when James Franklin tried to coach him up, he rolled his eyes and walked away.  QB Coach Ricky Rahne will need to clean that up before next week because unlike Akron, Rutgers should be able to take advantage of mental mistakes like these…  Although, remember when I said that Akron’s 41-0 win over Howard wasn't impressive because any FBS school would have done that?  Well Howard, who couldn't even manage a FG against Akron, hung 25 on Rutgers and only lost by 13.

One good thing about the offense is that for the second week in a row Lewis and Hamilton, attorneys at law, put their skills on full display and came up with big plays whenever they were needed.  And for the second week in a row, Hamilton had more catches but Lewis had more yds, proving that they are a formidable tandem of every-down reliability and big play excitement.

The Defense had another strong showing, holding Akron to just 3 points.  The defensive line was good and got pressure on Zips QB Kyle Pohl, but had a little bit harder time stopping the run.  Linebacker U appears to really be gelling now, especially the starting 3 of Wartman, Hull, and Bell.  Finally the secondary looked competent enough, but struggled against Akron's up tempo dink and dunk strategy at times.  They also relied on plenty of drops by the Akron receivers.  All things considered, if they keep improving this defense could be really special.

Speaking of special, on Special Teams, last week’s hero Sam Ficken didn't really have an opportunity to shine this week as he was relegated to extra point duty.  However, redshirt freshman punter Chris Gulla had his coming out party.  The inconsistent offense forced Gulla to punt 5 times, which he was clearly more than willing to do, averaging an astounding 48.8 yds with a long of 53.  Who was afraid we'd miss Alex Butterworth?  I sure wasn't (actually I was).  Having a strong punter will be useful in tight games when we need a change in field position and it looks like we found one.  The coverage teams also looked much improved from last year with Grant Haley having another decent day and Von Walker breaking tackles on a nice 35 yd return.

Ok, so what about my prediction?  Well first of all it didn't rain and the game was too close to put in either backup QB, so I was wrong there.  Jesse James didn't just get 1 TD, he scored 2, but Hackenberg's 3rd went to Belton not Hamilton.  Speaking of Belton, his TD counted towards receiving not rushing, so I really dropped the ball in predicting the rushing attack's resurgence, whoops.  Zettel did in fact have another good day picking up 3 tackles and a sack, but it was back up DEs Parker Cothren and Carl Nassib, not Olaniyan and Barnes, who combined for a monster sack in the 2nd quarter.  A big swing and a miss on Da'Quan Davis who not only didn't get an interception (no one did) but he didn't register any relevant statistics at all.  So much for him taking the 2nd CB spot.  The game was close at half time and Penn State didn't need Ficken's heroics, but I overestimated the offense of both teams after strong week 1 performances.  Credit to the defenses, and I still picked the winner so I'm happy.

I'm back tomorrow with the grades so check in then.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!

Week 2 Prediction

This week, Penn State returns home from Ireland to play in their long awaited home opener against Akron.  Kickoff is at noon on ABC for those in the Northeast, and ESPN2 for everyone else.  It should be a great game since this will serve as James Franklin's first game in Beaver Stadium (Blue/White doesn't count), the brand new scoreboards will be on display for the first time, and Penn State's undefeated 1994 Rose Bowl-winning team will be honored at halftime.  That team, known for its explosive offense lead by QB Kerry Collins, RB Ki-Jana Carter, WR Bobby Engram, and TE Kyle Brady (all of whom are expected to be in attendance) was one of the most legendary teams in Penn State history.  In fact, some would argue that they should have been declared National Champions that year instead of Nebraska.  Yet, many still view them as unappreciated.  Hopefully the halftime ceremony on Saturday will prove otherwise.

If you don't know much about Akron, don't worry, not many people do.  So here's all you really need to know.  Akron's nickname is the Zips, a reference to the zipper manufacturing industry which used to be prevalent in the region.  Now a days, the area is more well known for its rubber production.  Either way, their mascot is a kangaroo named Zippy for some reason, which strangely does not evoke quickness or zippers.  With that out of the way, let's get to the breakdown!

The Good
Don't let Akron's 41-0 blasting of Howard last week fool you.  Howard is an FCS school and almost any FBS team would have done that.  The truth is, Akron has been one of the worst teams in one of the worst conferences in Division I for quite some time now.  Unlike some other people, I honestly don't expect Hackenberg to set another passing record this week.  Instead, I think it's more likely that we run up the score and he ends up hitting the bench.  Fortunately, that means we'll get to see one of the backups.  Blue chip talent Michael O'Connor was recruited by Bill O'Brien as the heir apparent to Hackenberg, but rumors out of camp were that Trace McSorely was making things more competitive than anticipated.  Sure enough, the latest depth chart has McSorely ahead in the battle for number two.

As for Akron, their QB Kyle Pohl is actually pretty decent, especially given the lack of talent around him.  He might manage to put a few points on the board, either with his arm or his legs, and make things interesting, but he can't be the entire offense if they hope to win.  In the Zips' win over Howard, Pohl was actually the team's leading rusher, and considering how well Penn State's defense stopped the run last week, it could be a very long day for the Zips if they can't find someone other than their QB to carry the rock.  On defense, things aren't much better.  Akron only returns one starter in the secondary and that could spell doom for this year's MACrificial lamb if Hackenberg can get into a rhythm.  As someone on Black Shoe Diaries put it, the worst case scenario for this game is that it becomes a shootout, but even in that unlikely situation the fact remains that Penn State has Christian Hackenberg and Akron does not.

The Bad
To be honest, Akron is not a very good team, so there's not much in the bad column today.  One thing that might be an issue is the jet lag factor.  During a press conference earlier in the week James Franklin assured reporters that the team had no trouble adjusting back after their trip.  Still, it wouldn't surprise me if some of the players appear sluggish and mistake-prone in the first half or so, which may prevent the blowout some are predicting (Penn State is favored by 18 right now).  Other than Pohl, the one player Penn State might want to watch out for is Sa'Von Pittman, a 4-star DE who transferred from Ohio State back when former OSU head coach Jim Tressel was still part of the administration at Akron (Tressel is now the president of Youngstown State).  He's one of the rare, elite talents that ended up at a small school and if he plays to his abilities he could pressure Hack into some uncomfortable throws.

The only other bad thing that very few people seem to be talking about is the weather.  As of right now, weather.com is calling for scattered thunderstorms throughout the day in State College.  Conventional wisdom says that a rainy forecast means that the running game will carry the bulk of the offensive load rather than the passing game.  Unfortunately both of these pass heavy teams weren't very good at running the ball last week.  Still, when the Nittany Lions played Kent State last year in a monsoon-like rain storm, Bill O'Brien surprised many fans by sticking with his aerial attack, almost in defiance of the rain gods.  Will Franklin do the same?  Will it work?  If he does elect to switch over to the run game, can the offensive line open the lanes that were eerily absent last Saturday?  All of these questions remain to be seen.  One thing is for certain, though, no amount of bad weather will dampen the excitement when James Franklin runs through the gates of Beaver Stadium for his first ever game as head coach of Penn State.

The Story
One interesting story to this game is that Akron's head coach is Terry Bowden, son of Bobby Bowden (yes, that Bobby Bowden), and hopefully you all remember what happened the last time Penn State faced off against a Bowden.  Let's just say it ended well for the Lions.

Now, I have a personal connection with Akron as they were the first team on the 2004 football schedule, during my first semester at Penn State exactly 10 years ago.  Being in the Blue Band, we were practicing the "go State, beat Zips" cheer and I remember naively thinking that "zips" was just a filler word we were using to practice the cheer and that the opposing team's mascot would simply be inserted later on.  However, the word never changed and on gameday I was even more confused when I saw that creepy, anthropomorphic kangaroo mascot standing on the other side of the field.  It was a strange day.

The Prediction
Ok, even despite the rain, I think Christian Hackenberg will still have a very good day.  He'll throw for 300 yds and 2 TDs, one to Jesse James and the other to Daesean Hamilton who goes for 100+ yds again and continues his breakout season.  The running game will finally get going against a much weaker defensive front and Zwinak punches in 2 TDs of his own to silence the critics.  On defense, Akron's make shift offensive line can't handle the man-child that is Anthony Zettel, who has another monster game.  But it's the defensive ends, Olaniyan and Barnes who each get a sack.  All that pressure helps Da'Quan Davis get an interception and his solid performance solidifies him as the #2 CB opposite Jordan Lucas.  The game might be close at halftime, but James Franklin rallies the troops and pulls away in the second half.  No need for a clutch Sam Ficken performance this time around as the Nittany Lions roll 38-17.

Make sure you check back here on Sunday for the weekly wrap up.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus as I once again attempt to live tweet the game.  And as always, go State!

Week 1 Awards

Welcome back folks.  Before we get into the awards today, I wanted to share this really great piece, written about Saturday's game from an Irish perspective.  Besides the wonderful writing, I think it highlights the attitude and demeanor of Irish people quite well.  Although I only stayed in Ireland for a week back in March 2013, I did my best to fully explore the country while I was there and I think I got a pretty good read on its people.  My biggest take away was that the Irish are by far the friendliest people I've ever been around, without exception.  Literally every person I met there was a joy to be around.  I also noticed that they all had jobs in some way tied to the service sector.  They worked in shops, hotels, restaurants, pubs, and bars.  They were cab drivers, bus drivers, tour guides, and visitor's center employees.  And all of them seemed very happy to see Americans.  I guess that's what happens when your entire economy seemingly revolves around tourism; you end up being much nicer to tourists.  They were also much more laid back and carefree.  That might explain the writer's shock at Americans' passion for football.  Anyway, it really is a wonderful place to visit, and if you ever have the means I would totally recommend it.  Now, let's roll out some awards!

The first Beast Mode Award of the season goes to star QB Christian Hackenberg, who broke a 12 year old record and became the first QB in Penn State history to throw for more than 400 yds in a single game.  He put up video game numbers against one of the better defenses in the country, so I can't wait to see what he does against a weaker team.

This week's Transformer Award goes to kicker Sam Ficken.  Kicken Ficken (aka Mr Automatic) has slowly transformed himself from beleaguered goat to beloved clutch performer.  His 4 field goals on against UCF were the complete opposite of the 4 field goals (and an extra point) that he missed in the Virginia game back in 2012.  You're unlikely to find a better underdog story in all of college football than Ficken.

The Matrix Award for breakout underclassman obviously goes to WR Daesean Hamilton who was the definition of an impact freshman on Saturday.  I've been wondering when Hamilton would finally break out since he stepped foot on campus last year.  However, because he was redshirted during the 2013 season, most people forgot about him until now.  His 11 catches led the team and his 165 yds set the single-game freshman receiving record.  The only downside is he may have set expectations a little too high in his first game.  Now he needs to meet or exceed those numbers every game or people will start to question if this game was just a fluke.

Next up, I present the In Disguise Award to Anthony Zettel.  He doesn't get a lot of attention because he plays on the defensive side of the ball, but the converted DT was finally unleashed on the hapless Knights in Dublin and never let up until the final whistle.  Just look at these stats: 6 tackles, 3 for a loss, 1 sack, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery.  Unbelievable!  If he can stay healthy, he'll have people talking all season long.

Finally, the Megatron Award goes to the Penn State running game.  Running back has always been a position of strength in Happy Valley, but on Saturday the Lions' rushing attack looked absolutely anemic against a stout UCF defensive front.  Belton's shifty style of play had no chance of succeeding behind an offensive line which struggled to open any meaningful holes.  Zwinak's power run game seemed to work slightly better, but not much.  Hopefully the boys rebound this week against a significantly weaker defense and in front of a true home crowd.  Otherwise, we may have just found the Achilles heel of this offense.

And as a bonus today, we have offensive line coach Herb Hand giving a little film review session via Vine/Twitter.  Is there no end to his social media prowess?!  If you've ever wondered what exactly to look for when analyzing offensive line play, then Coach Hand's got your back.

Well that will do it for today.  Check back in on Friday for my weekly prediction.  This week, the Nittany Lions come back home to take on the Akron Zips.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!

Week 1 Grades

It's time for the first grades of the season!  Penn State traveled all the way to the Emerald Isle and came home with a victory and a really sweet trophy.  For the most part things went well, but there were the normal first game mistakes.  I've taken that into consideration, so let's get to the grades.

Offense
QB: (B+) Christian Hackenberg set the all-time record for passing yards in a single game, previously held by Kerry Collins, and became the first QB in Nittany Lion history to break 400 yds in a single game.  So why the B+?  The truth is, when you attempt 47 passes you're going to have a lot of passing yards.  However, far too often Hackenberg looked like he was thinking too hard, had a slow release, forced too many throws into tiny holes, and generally looked jet lagged.  You're allowed a few bad throws but he threw too many for an elite QB and needed his receivers to bail him out too many times.  With all of that said, the 8 yd run on 4th down with the game on the line demonstrated great athleticism and was super clutch.  As scary as it sounds, Hack will have better games, and I'll save the A+ for then.

OL: (D) Everyone knew going into this game that the offensive line was going to be the biggest issue.  I will give the big boys up front credit for keeping Hackenberg's jersey clean and performing much better in pass protection than I anticipated.  However, I also give a lot of that credit to Hack for his improved scrambling.  Additionally, the running backs had absolutely nowhere to run and the line got no push all morning long.  This was especially noticeable on the goal line where even the human wrecking ball Zach Zwinak had trouble getting through.  Still, the UCF defensive line was one of the best the that "Lions of Scrimmage" will face this season and considering the circumstances, they did admirably.  I think it's safe to say this line will be more serviceable than originally thought.

RB: (C) I was right that Zwinak would get the bulk of the carries, although technically Belton got the start.  I was also right that no one back would reach 100 yds, but I didn't think the alliteration twins would only rush for a combined 60 yds on 22 carries.  Much of the poor statistics can be attributed to poor offensive line play and a strong UCF defensive front, but at some point those just become excuses.  I expect a HUGE performance against Akron next week that proves this outing was the exception, not the rule.

WR: (A) This would have been an A+ except for Daesean Hamilton's drop on a would be TD, and the offensive pass interference by Chris Godwin... but that's just being picky.  454 yds between 7 targets, two 160+ yd receivers?  I loved Allen Robinson, but more of this please!  Oh, and all but one of these guys is a freshmen; that's just scary.  It's about to get really exciting at this position for years to come.  Time to watch the fireworks!

TE: (A) I've called Jesse James a freak of nature in the past and it's true.  At 6' 7" 254 lbs and seemingly unlimited strength he is a complete matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.  Sure enough, he had 7 catches for 60 yds, all despite the minor injury he suffered in the 2nd quarter.  Supa 6 member Kyle Carter added 2 crucial grabs for 21 yds.  Even freshman Mike Gesicki had a 9 yd catch.  It was also good to see the help these big bodies provided in blocking.  That will be important moving forward as the offensive line continues to gel.

Defense
DL: (A+) Coming into the season, there was a lot of focus on DEs Deion Barnes and C.J. Olaniyan, and for good reason.  On Saturday they had a combined 6 tackles, 2 for a loss, and 1 sack, although not nearly as many as the 3 sacks I predicted for Barnes.  But very few people were talking about DE turned DT Anthony Zettel.  Well I have a feeling they're going to be talking about him a lot more after this game.  He had 6 tackles by himself, 3 for a loss, a sack, a pass breakup, and he even recovered a fumble!  Zettel and company were outstanding and are the clear strength of this defense.

LB: (B+) The linebacking unit was solid throughout the game, but not spectacular.  Mike Hull lead the team with 11 tackles, and Nyeem Wartman added another 6.  Wartman seemed a lot more comfortable, so maybe the game is slowing down for him.  Brandon Bell was the only other linebacker to record a tackle.  That speaks more to the depth of this group than it does the talent.  Maybe we'll see freshmen Jason Cabinda and Troy Reeder in the coming weeks.

DB: (C) The secondary isn't really measured by tackles because if your last line of defense is making a lot of tackles you have serious issues up front.  As such it was good to see low tackle numbers out of this group, especially compared to the Syracuse game which kicked off last season.  Jordan Lucas was solid with 3 pass breakups.  In the future, QBs would be smart to avoid his side of the field from the looks of things.  Adrian Amos, now back at his natural safety spot, added a tackle and a breakup to his stat sheet.  The question for this unit is, who will take over the 2nd CB spot opposite Lucas?  Da'Quan Davis and Trevor Williams both looked overmatched for much of the game.  Will they step up, or will a freshmen like Grant Haley step in to save the day?  Keep an eye on that moving forward.

Special Teams
K: (A+++) Sam Ficken gave us the complete opposite of his performance at Virginia two years ago.  He hit all of his extra points and all 4 of his field goals, including the game winner!  Check yesterday's wrap up to see the heartwarming picture of James Franklin celebrating the victory with Ficken.  Congrats Mr Automatic!  The kick return game may have also found a very nice option in freshmen CB Grant Haley who had 4 returns for 118 yds, including a wonderful 44 yarder.

P: (A) Chris Gulla got the nod as the starting punter, replacing Alex Butterworth.  He only punted once for a respectable 41 yds.  Jesse Della Valle and Jordan Lucas each returned a punt, but neither did anything special.  Basically the jury is still out on this group.

Bonus
Your bonus grade goes to the skydivers who parachuted into Croke Park Stadium during pregame.  The Penn State skydiver gets an A+!  Unfortunately, the Central Florida skydiver gets an F for missing the stadium altogether.  OnwardState has you covered with both videos.

Alright, I'm done grading for the day.  Check back tomorrow for the weekly awards, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!

Week 1 Wrap Up

The long anticipated trip to Dublin, Ireland is now officially over.  James Franklin and company heard all the critics and doubters, but didn't let it get to them as they put together a solid week 1 performance and came away with a victory.  Penn Staters consumed all the Guinness in Temple Bar, boarded their planes, and partied the whole way home.  It was a game that proved to be equal parts record-breaking air show, and sloppy first game jitters.  As with any season opener, there were a plethora of learning opportunities, but just as many flashes of the potential this team has.  So let's get to what happened.  But first, here's what victory looks like!  How cool is that trophy?  The football is made from 4,500 year old Irish bog yew (aka ancient wood) and the metal frame is made of recycled steel from Three Rivers Stadium and designed to evoke the facemask of an American Football helmet.  All I know is it will look sweet in a trophy case back at Beaver Stadium.

Coach Franklin decided to make me look like an idiot, going for an air raid style of offense instead of the conservative running attack I predicted.  I was correct about Zwinak getting the bulk of the carries, although he only managed 32 yds on 12 attempts.  Bill Belton didn't fare much better rushing 10 times for just 16 yds.  As everyone guessed correctly, the offensive line struggled to get any kind of push and created absolutely no holes for the running backs.  Thankfully, they were competent enough in pass protection that Christian Hackenberg was able to shatter the single-game passing record, becoming the first QB in Penn State history to have a 400+ yd game in the process.

Here's what you need to know about the young gunslinger before he slowly morphs into mythological status.  Hackenberg can be absolutely brilliant.  Everyone already knew this from day one and this game just gave us the statistical data to back it up.  32 of 47 for 454 yds in a single game.  Two receivers with 100+ yds in a single game for the first time in over 6 years.  A superb 79 yd TD pass with the touch of Peyton Manning.  It was all there.  Yet, the decision making was inconsistent at best, and his release seemed slow.  Far too often, Hack would try and thread the ball into windows so tight, it was as if he had gotten cocky and was just trying to show off.  Then there were the 2 interceptions that can only be described as rookie mistakes.  As many have already said about Christian, the potential seems limitless, but for now there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Then, of course, there were the questions at wide receiver.  Who could possibly step up and match or exceed the incredible production of Allen Robinson?  We got an emphatic answer on Saturday morning in Lewis & Hamilton, attorneys at law... or at least they sound like a law firm to me.  Geno Lewis and redshirt freshman Daesean Hamilton torched the supposedly stout UCF secondary, breaking their ankles and making them look silly all morning long.  Hamilton quickly got everyone's attention grabbing 11 catches for a whopping 165 yds and moving the chains early and often.  Not to be outdone, Lewis, the veteran of the receiving corps, pulled in 8 catches of his own for 173 yds, including a bobbled circus-style catch and the aforementioned 79 yd bomb for a TD where he outran 3 Golden Knights by at least 10 yds.  Oh, and if "one picture perfect TD pass... probably to Geno Lewis" sounds familiar, it's because you read my prediction on Friday night.

As for the defense, they looked nasty (in a good way).  The front four, lead by converted DT Anthony Zettel dominated the line of scrimmage, stuffing the UCF running game, while DE Deion Barnes was a consistent presence in the backfield.  There was a very impressive goal line stand in the 1st quarter that epitomized how the defense played all day.  Now some people may be critical of the secondary who, aside from Amos and Lucas, showed definite signs of rust.  However, the UCF receivers are legit and better than most of the teams Penn State will see this year.  I saw a lot of good things given the circumstances and by the time conference teams come calling, I expect this group to ready for prime time.

In the end, and as I predicted, it all came down to a last second field goal by Sam Ficken.  How many times have we seen this scenario play out?  Ficken's underdog story has been well documented.  He went from the goat who missed 4 FGs in a 1-point loss to Virginia back in 2012 to the kid who beat Wisconsin in OT on Senior Day of that same year.  Against UCF, he earned his sometimes ironically given nickname "Mr. Automatic" by putting 4 FGs through the uprights, including the game winner with 3 seconds left.  Once the celebration began, we were treated to the most adorable picture of the day: James Franklin picking up Sam Ficken while saying "I'm so happy for you!"

For anyone watching the game, and subsequently looking at the stat sheet, you would think that Penn State cruised to a week 1 victory over some poor FCS opponent to the tune of 56-0.  Yet somehow, this was actually a game against the reigning Fiesta Bowl champs, and the Lions only squeeked by on a last second field goal.  In classic Penn State form, the defense bailed out the rest of the team on numerous occasions and ensured the victory.  There are plenty of lessons to be learned from this game, but I now have even more trust in this coaching staff to fix the mistakes and have a very successful year.  Much of that success will be dependent on freshmen, both true and redshirt, stepping up.  If yesterday's game was an indication, many of those freshmen players are ready and willing to answer the call.

Oh, and I wonder what happened to that whole “waxing” we were supposed to receive?  Well, Lee Corso, do you have anything to say now?  Didn't think so.

It's time to get back into the season swing of things.  So, be sure to come back tomorrow for the weekly grades, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!

Week 1 Prediction

CAN IT BE TRUE?!  IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?!  YES!!!  COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!

Now with that out of the way.. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the 2014 College Football Season (now with playoffs)!  The wait is finally over and tomorrow morning, bright and early, live from Croke Park Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, the Nittany Lions of Penn State take on the Golden Knights of Central Florida in the Croke Park Classic!  Kick off is at 8:30am (thanks a lot time zones!) on ESPN2.  Oh, and it would appear the names will be staying on the backs of the jerseys for the foreseeable future.

Interesting fact; I was actually in Ireland over St Patrick's Day last year and I spent 2 nights at the Croke Park Hotel, directly across the street from Croke Park Stadium (fantastic hotel btw, I highly recommend it).  So I'm quite familiar with the experience that the team is having right now.  I've been to the Guinness Storehouse and seen the view from the Gravity Bar.  I've toured Dublin from atop a double decker bus and I've even stood outside Croke Park Stadium... unfortunately I never made it inside.  There were some hurling matches scheduled, but they got rained out.  What I can tell you is the stadium itself is quite massive and imposing, just like Beaver Stadium.  In fact, it's the 3rd largest stadium in Europe.  So hopefully our boys in blue can feel the immensity of the spectacle.  It looks like they're already having a great time.  Meanwhile, back on the field, they'll be playing against a man whose name suggests he should feel right at home in Dublin; UCF head coach, George O'Leary.  His Golden Knights got the best of Penn State last season, thanks in large part to QB Blake Bortles and RB Storm Johnson (still a great name).  Those two are off in the NFL now, reunited on the Jacksonville Jaguars, ironically along with former Penn State standout WR Allen Robinson.  They might be my new favorite NFL team.  So what can we make of the teams this year?  Let's get to the first break down of the season!

The Good
Last year's UCF team shocked almost everyone, beating both Penn State and Louisville before suffering their only loss of the year to South Carolina by only 3 points (in a game they probably should have won).  They finished the year with a blowout win over heavily favored Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl.  The Knights' surprising performance played a big part in Blake Bortles' 3rd overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.  But like I said before, he's gone, and so is Storm Johnson, who admittedly torched Penn State in last year's game.  In their place, UCF turns to a redshirt freshman QB Pete DiNovo, and RB William Stanback... and no, I don't know anything about them either.

As for Penn State, the defense appears to be the strength of the team with a solid 3-deep on the defensive line, a thin but talented linebacking corps, and a vastly improved secondary with significantly better depth.  Standouts include DEs Deion Barnes and C.J. Olaniyan, LB Mike Hull, S Adrian Amos, and CB Jordan Lucas.  Meanwhile, despite serious depth concerns on the offensive line, the offense looks formidable.  It all starts with QB Christian Hackenberg.  I'll fawn over him later, but let's just say he's really good.  If he can stay upright, he'll be throwing to a receiving corps overflowing with elite 4-star talent... most of whom, unfortunately, have yet to play a single down in college.  Lucky for them, receiver is probably the easiest position on the field to make an immediate impact as a freshman.  And besides, you should all be more focused on arguably the best tight end corps in the country.  Even with the injury to Adam Breneman, that just leaves us with Brent Wilkerson, All-Big Ten Kyle Carter, freshman phenom Mike Gesicki, and freak of nature Jesse James.  I'm not worried.  Then of course, there's the 3-headed monster at running back: Zach Zwinak, Bill Belton, and Akeel Lynch.  Yeah, we're good there too.

The Bad
For all the questions about Central Florida's offense, there are an equal number of answers about their defense.  Some "experts" even think this could be the best defense Penn State will face all season.  I disagree with those experts, of course, because I give that honor to Michigan State and maybe even Ohio State.  Still, the Golden Knights bring 9 starters back on a defense that was already a top-20 defense last year.  This includes all 4 starters on the defensive line... you know, the guys who line up opposite Penn State's biggest weakness?  In addition, although it's safe to call newly appointed team captain Christian Hackenberg "experienced" now, as I mentioned before, that distinction doesn't exactly apply to his wide receivers.  Expect a very tough, veteran UCF secondary to take full advantage of the young guys early and often.  Not to mention, you can never count out George O'Leary, as the Nittany Lions learned the hard way last year.  Oh, and jetlag is a thing, although both teams will have to contend with it equally.

It's been stressed all offseason, the offensive line is about as deep as a kiddy pool; a fitting description given the number of freshmen being asked to step in at a position not accustomed to accommodating underclassmen.  Penn State's most famous position, linebacker, is thin too.  Not to mention the entire staff is brand new.  Unlike Bill O'Brien's crew, these guys all coached together at Vanderbilt, but they haven't coached these players in a live game yet, and they have to take their first crack at it in Dublin of all places.  Hopefully James Franklin can summon the luck of the Irish tomorrow morning.

The Story
Obviously, the story is that this game is being played in Dublin, Ireland.  Thanks to the bowl ban part of the NCAA sanctions, Penn State can't participate in the first ever College Football Playoff.  So, while head coach, Bill O'Brien set up this game as a makeshift bowl trip for the players.  Judging by the pictures of alumni filling the streets for a pep rally today, it sure feels like a bowl game atmosphere, so mission accomplished!  It will be very interesting to see how all the external factors affect the game.  I honestly think it's going to be sloppy.  If Penn State gets a win, though, who cares?

Now, just looking at some of the numbers on paper, it would appear that Penn State is going to have a rough season.  However, I hope you all read this blog for a little more than just some boring numbers.  I tend to look for the little, sometimes intangible things that others seem to miss.  For example, Penn State only brings back one starter on the offensive line (LT Donovan Smith).  Yet, offensive line coach Herb Hand has already been through this exact same situation while on the staff at Tulsa.  He ended that season with one of the best offensive lines in the country.  I trust him.  In fact, I trust this whole staff.  They've brought a magical kind of energy back to a program that desperately needed it and they seem to have infected the entire fanbase.  They're going to have one heck of a debut.  Good luck to them!

The Prediction
Well, the experts don't know what to think.  Vegas has changed its odds multiple times, from Penn State favored by 3, to UCF favored by 5.  There's just too many variables.  UCF is breaking in a new QB, but Penn State is breaking in a whole new coaching staff.  Will jetlag play a factor?  How will the "neutral site" aspect of playing in a foreign country, let alone stadium affect the players?  It's a lot to take into consideration.  To me, it comes down to this: Penn State's starting 22 are better than UCF's starting 22.  Now, if there are some in-game injuries, maybe I can understand giving the edge to O'Leary's crew.  But we can only deal with what's in front of us right now, and given the current rosters, I don't see how anyone can seriously have UCF favored, even by 1.5 points (the most recent line I saw).  It's all about match ups.  The strength of both teams is their defense, and the weakness of both teams is their offense.  So either way it's going to be a close game with points coming at a premium.  In situations like this where the teams are similar, I always bet against the weakest unit on the field.  In my opinion, that's UCF's offense.

Christian Hackenberg doesn't throw for a lot as Franklin elects to play it safe and stick to the ground game.  He does get off one picture perfect TD pass, though, probably to Geno Lewis.  Zwinak's downhill style proves the most effective and he gets the bulk of the carries.  Although no individual RB hits the 100 yd mark, together they put up decent stats.  On defense, the line takes advantage of UCF's young QB and offensive line, recording 3 sacks including one by Deion Barnes, who looks more like his freshman self than last year's incarnation.  Meanwhile, Jordan Lucas pulls down the first of many interceptions this season.  Overall, the offense struggles as predicted, but manages to do just enough to get the victory.  Sam Ficken kicks the game winning field goal and Penn State fans take over the Temple Bar section of Dublin, spending the night trying to convince bartenders to draw a Lion paw in their Guinness foam instead of a shamrock.  Final score: 23-20


Alright folks, get some sleep, we got an early start.  Enjoy the game!  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus throughout the game as I attempt to be coherent at 8:30am on a Saturday.  I'll try to get the Wrap Up done for Saturday night.  Go State, beat Knights!

One Week and Counting!

That's right ladies and gentlemen, you read that headline correctly; there is only ONE week left until the return of Penn State football!  Unfortunately, due to the time differences between the U.S. and Ireland, that return will come at 8:30 am EST next Saturday on ESPN2.  And if you're a Penn State fan living on the west coast for some reason, get ready for a 5:30 am wake up call (I'm sorry).  Still, most fans are so starved for the return of football that I think this will turn out to be only a minor inconvenience.  Besides, sleep is for the weak.  What won't be a minor inconvenience, however, is a volcano in Iceland that may affect the team's travel plans.  The volcano (which I will not even attempt to pronounce the name of) has been causing all manner of seismic activity recently and scientists are afraid it could blow its top at any moment.  A similar volcano in Iceland caused the cancellation of some 100,000 flights around Europe back in 2010, so this would not exactly be unprecedented.  Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Mother Nature will see fit to not delay our long awaited start to football.  With all of that said, let's get to all the latest happenings.

Our first story today actually has very little to do with Penn State, at least directly.  Ohio State QB, and Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller, reinjured his shoulder this past week and will officially be out for the season.  Miller is the reigning 2-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and was poised to lead the Buckeyes to a potential National Championship run this year.  Most people with a heart probably feel bad for Miller, and rightfully so as no decent person should wish ill upon anyone.  But as a football fan, it's more than OK to engage in a little schadenfreude regarding Ohio State as a whole.  The news isn't exactly great for the Big Ten conference, which was hanging its collective hopes of making the first ever College Football Playoff on the favorites from Columbus, but it is good news for Nittany Lion fans since, with Miller out for the Oct 25th meeting in Happy Valley, the Lions actually stand a chance of winning!  That's why this week's news about a week long campout for the Ohio State game is all the more exciting.  Good luck to all the campers, you may actually get a victory for your efforts!  Now, for anyone still concerned about the conference's perception nationally due to Miller's injury, have no fear.  Michigan State is a very legitimate contender to make the inaugural field of four... unless, of course, Penn State manages to knock them off in their final regular season game like they did to Wisconsin the previous two years.  Oh well, we live in hope.

Moving on.  Have you ever wondered what's it's REALLY like being a top flight college QB, trying to decipher a play call, and then executing it with the precision and grace of one, Christian Hackenberg?  Well if you have, the folks over at Black Shoe Diaries (BSD) decided to delve deep into two plays they heard Hack call at training camp and what exactly all of that jargon means.  If you don't have a lot of technical football knowledge this might go over your head.  But for football nerds like myself, this is wonderful, so enjoy!

Finally, to put the proverbial cherry on top of the "one week left" sundae, here's the brand new, official, 2014 Penn State football hype video!  Get excited!

Well that will wrap it up for this week.  Barring any big news during the early part of the week, this will officially wrap up my offseason coverage for the year (thank the Primes!).  The next time you hear from me will most likely be for my Week 1 Prediction on Friday.  So keep it here on the blog all season long for predictions, analysis, awards, and more.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus for all the latest news and notes surrounding Penn State football, and as always, go State!